Brooks, Lewis head to runoff

Jay residents say no to Sunday alcohol sales on Tueday's ballot

Following Tuesday night's election results, it looks like the town of Jay will continue to keep out alcohol sales on Sunday and Century's Councilwoman Ann Brooks will face off against candidate Dynette Lewis in November in a runoff for Town Council Seat 1.

Jay

Ninety-six registered voters turned out Tuesday to vote in the town of Jay. Total, 35 voters, which is 36.46 percent, said yes and 61 voters, 63.54 percent said no to allowing the sale of alcohol in the town on Sundays.

"It gave people the ability to make the choice for themselves," said Jay Mayor Shon Owens. "I always say, from a business standpoint, that we couldn't help the businesses have some growth, but that's just what the community wants so we'll stick with it."

Owens said he feels the council will listen to what the community's needs are and that this wasn't a vote to determine whether the town is going to sell alcohol on Sundays, but it was a vote to help the council make decisions. It allows the council to understand what community's wishes are.

Owens said the town could still issue a permit to allow the sale of alcohol for an event on Sunday in the town, but that it is about giving citizens here an opportunity to not drive to other counties or eight to 10 miles away to a convenient store that's already doing it.

"It's just to give the convenience to the citizens and at the same time support the businesses that are here," said Owens. "The goal is to grow the town to the point where it is not a dying community."

Owens said revenue is not being created for Jay and many factors, such as declining population, declining property taxes, and other issues, are adding to it's current situation.

Century

The term for town of Century's Council Seat 1 expires the end of 2020. Three candidates, Incumbent Ann Brooks, Dynette Lewis and Calvin Kenneth Cottrell, Jr., threw their hats in the ring.

Because there were three candidates running, Tuesday's election was to determine either one candidate who got 50 percent plus one vote to win, or the two candidates with the highest number of votes to run in November's general election.

Of the total 330 votes, Brooks led the ticket with 148, or 44.85 percent. Candidate Lewis won 122 votes, or 36.97 percent. Cottrell received 60 votes, or 18.18 percent, so he will not be on the ballot in November.

No candidate got 50 percent plus 1, so the two candidates with the highest number of votes, Brooks and Lewis, are headed to the November runoff.

"I would like to express my gratitude to the people of Century who came out and exercised their voting privilege," said Lewis. "I'm very thankful for those who support my campaign. It is not a race against any opponent but a race for the enrichment of the town of Century and its citizens. Century is a great place to live. I stand for Century and all of the people who live here, worship here, work here and raise families here. The road to November is attainable and I believe if we put in the work, we will prevail."

 
 
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